Scheduled for EROS procedure in November

Hi all... Just letting you all know that I am scheduled to have the EROS procedure on Nov 21st with Dr. Bessler.  Dr. Bessler has a newer tool that is shorter for smaller pouches which will allow him to be more agressive with making the pouch and stoma smaller.  I need him to make my pouch & stoma as small as possible. I want tight, tight, tight!!!! I will definitely update you after the procedure.  I hope it turns out better than my mother's Stomaphyx procedure. She is not too happy. Luckily her insurance covered it.

Thanks for keeping us updated on what is going on with you.  Too bad the stomaphx did not work out the way she hoped.  I was a little weary of that procedure because it is new and their is no long term results for how effective the procedure is.  This can be a real problems especially if you are self pay.

Dazzling ,

What is the EROS procedure?

Susie x

Explain the EROS procedure please. Thanks

Here is a description of the EROS procedure from the website (and please note that the instrument used is FDA approved!)

The Center for Obesity Surgery is conducting a study to investigate a new, less invasive surgical option to treat weight regain in post-gastric bypass patients. If you were originally successful with your bypass surgery but now find yourself regaining some of your lost weight, you may be a candidate for the EROS (Endolumenal Revision of Obesity Surgery) procedure.

Weight regained after gastric bypass surgery may be caused by an enlarged pouch and/or stretching of the stoma, the opening between the stomach pouch and small intestine. The EROS Procedure is a new surgical option to treat weight regain in post-gastric bypass patients. The procedure uses FDA-cleared endoscopic instruments to decrease pouch and stoma size and recreate a restriction to encourage weight loss. It does not require surgical incisions. In the procedure, an endoscopic suturing device is introduced through the mouth. Sutures are placed in the stomach pouch and stoma to reduce their size which slows the exit of food from the stomach pouch, enabling patients to better restrict food intake and reverse their weight re-gain. The EROS procedure is expected to provide important advantages over surgery, including, minimal post-operative pain, fast recovery time, and no scarring.

They did not have the trial when I had mine done by Dr. Thompson in Boston, my insurance did pay they only did the stoma then. I want something that will hold better than stitches, mine quit working after about 6 months the stitches came totally loose.  I just had a total revision and the doctor said I had a mess that he had to fix.  Between the glue and sutures he had to make a different stoma.

This EROS Procedure you describe sounds very similar to the Stomaphyx.  I understand when the Stomaphyx was first done they were only fastening a couple pleats, Dr. S. in Arizona is said to fasten up to four pleats, which makes for a more restrictive procedure. Quite frankly all of these procedures are so new that perhaps if all of us wait for about 6 months to a year they will have the procedure perfected to the point that it will return our pouch and stoma back to the way it was after our first surgeries or even better, maybe smaller. Just a thought PS: Dazzling Eyes;  Can you describe how the EROS procedure is different and more successful than Stomaphyx? Thanks so much. Janie R

Hi Janie, I can't say if the EROS is more successful than the Stomaphyx until I get it done.  And it would be hard to give an evaluation on both procedures until at least 6 months has passed.  I have noticed that a few people are having success with the Stomaphyx and and some are not.  You cant blame the Doctor 100% because some of the patients had the same doctor.  Once I get the EROS done, I will report my results.  My expectation is for me to eat less food and stay full longer. One difference I can describe between the two, is the actual tool.  The Stomaphyx hasa straight-edge on the bottom. This is the reason why the doctors cannot put pleats in the stoma.  They can only put tissue folds above the stoma to help narrow the canal.  With the EROS tool, its a barrel (round) at the bottom.  This will allow the doctors to put pleats in the stoma to make it smaller, as well as the pouch.  So with the EROS, your pouch & stoma has sutures placed.  One of Dr. Bessler's patients lost 30 lbs in less than 3 months. You can llok at the photos below. To view an animated version of the Stomaphyx you can log on to Endogastric solutions website and downloand the animation view of the Stomaphyx procedure. You can tell the difference in the tools used, and be able to see why the Stomaphyx cannot manipulate the stoma directly. In my belief, thats the difference. Look at the Stoma Restoration photos below: (You can see how the bottom of the tool is rounded) And here are the pouch reduction photos:

Absolutely, well shown. Thanks so much Janie R

DazzlingEyes, thank you so much for mentioning this. I read up on the procedure and it looks like something I would benefit from. Are you in the clinical trials for EROS?  (If I may ask.) Whatever the case, my thoughts and prayers will be with you on 11/21!